Sunday, April 24, 2005

"To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells"


The Chesarek Ringers joined four other handbell choirs on Sunday afternoon, 24 April 2005, for a workshop and concert led by the conductor of the bellisimo! handbell choir of Billings. For more views from the afternoon, take a look at the slideshow.

Deacons' Sunday


Romans 12:2-13 "[2] Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. . . . [11] Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord."

On Sunday, 24 April 2005, the Deacons' conducted Worship Service focused upon the concept of service. To see more photos from the service, please click on slideshow.

Charlotte Patrick (above) delivered a sermon on "The Word, The Encounter, The Service." In it, Charlotte introduced us to the basic tenets of John Calvin's spirituality:
  1. Knowledge and understanding of God, humanity, and creation through study of the Bible and other means;
  2. Cultivation of personal experiences with God--personal encounters; and
  3. Sharing our life in God through a life of service.
According to Calvin, believers need to balance all three elements of spirituality within their lives. If we do, we will find that our focus is less on this life, that we will love others and be hospitable, and that we will feel a need to share our gifts with others.

Observing that many of today's popular religious movements focus almost exclusively upon the individual transforming experience, Charlotte explained that Calvin cautioned against focusing solely on our personal encounters with God. Instead, we need to be transformed by our encounters with God into a life of service.

In his book Church: Why Bother?, Philip Yancy explains that we in the Church represent God on earth to others. We need, Charlotte said, to put the Word into action . . . for everyone.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

Beyond Faith to Faithfulness

"Doubting Thomas," Caravaggio, 1597


For the third Sunday of Easter--10 April 2005--Rev. Hunter focused on the story of Thomas, the disciple who proclaimed he would not believe in the risen Christ until he had witnessed and touched Jesus's wounds for himself. Thomas's story illustrates that faith needs a little push. Who among us would not like a clear sign from God to help our faith? Faith has always been difficult, even for an Apostle.

Mr. Hunter posited, however, that Thomas's reputation as "Doubting" Thomas is undeserved. In John 11, when Jesus asked the disciples to go with Him to the hostile town where Lazarus lay dead, Thomas is the one who had such faith in Jesus that he "said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him'" (John 11:16). Thomas had faith.

The apocryphal gnostic scripture The Acts of Thomas (early 3rd c. AD) records the legend that Thomas was a man of such tremendous faith that he journeyed to India in 46 AD, where he founded the Christian church throughout southern India and was eventually martyred. Thomas's reputation, in other words, is of a man of faith.

In Acts 5:29, Peter tells the council charging him and other apostles, "We must obey God rather than men." When faith is put into action, it becomes faithfulness. Good intentions are not sufficient when only one intention is required by God: to serve Him. As the answer to the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever."

If we follow God with faithfulness, God will make everything else possible.

New Elder Ordained

Rev. Hunter & Buzz Larsen

Rev. Hunter ordains Buzz Larsen as an Elder during worship on 10 April 2005. Buzz is a member of the Building and Grounds Committee.